NORTHWOODS - You probably think therapists who have gone through years of schooling and practice would be making a lot of money. That isn't always the case. In places where large numbers of people being treated for mental health are on Medicaid, insurance companies pay therapists much less than their asking rate.

The numbers show our part of the state is short of mental health professionals.

Natalie Wetzel-Rasumussen owns a counseling service in Elcho. She's the only therapist in the area.

"I actually had a number of friends who closed their practices, and they're not up here anymore. They moved out of the area," said Wetzel-Rasmussen.

Clients come from seven different counties to see her. Seventy percent of those people are on Medicaid.

"We are in an impoverished area, and even with our working poor people who have very good-paying jobs, sometimes two or three or four are on Medicaid," said Wetzel-Rasmussen.

But Medicaid only pays Wetzel-Rasmussen 32 percent of her rate.

"Private practice is the least-paid--that's where I get the little bit more than someone who works at McDonald's rates," she said.

It's not just a problem for her. The problems spans the Northwoods and much of Wisconsin.

"I think one of the challenges is not to become a profit-oriented business model when you're providing care to individuals," said Richard Martin, director of Transitions Center in Rhinelander.

In a federally designated mental health shortage area where many current therapists are nearing retirement, we need to bring in new therapists. That's hard with low rates.

"One of the things that could help is if they actually raised the rate," Martin said. "I think we got a 1-percent increase eight or nine years ago."

We could also take a page out of Minnesota's book, where Medicaid pays more than Wisconsin.

"Because their Medicaid rate is 40 percent higher than Wisconsin's Medicaid rate, which means that clinicians in Wisconsin make 40 percent less in Medicaid alone than clinicians in Minnesota," said Wetzel-Rasmussen. "Why is that?"

With low pay, long hours and much heartache, there's a reason they still do it.

"Because the need is there," said Wetzel-Rasmussen. "Because the need is there. Because I can help people. I have a skill that helps people."

"Our business mentor said, 'You're actually not a business.' I said, 'What do you mean?' He said, 'Well it should really be called a hobby because you're not making enough money to be called a business.' Which means there are other reasons why we do this," said Martin.

MADISON - The chairman of the Wisconsin Elections Commission is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to rule quickly in a challenge to how the state's political boundaries were drawn following redistricting in 2011.

Commission Chairman Mark Thomsen said Tuesday that the state wants a fast decision following next week's oral arguments so maps for upcoming elections next year will be in place as soon as possible. The court is being asked by Democratic voters to overturn Republican-drawn legislative district maps. The Democrats argue the maps are unconstitutional and give Republicans an unfair advantage.

The commission is waiting on an expected payment of $300,000 from the federal government. In 2016, that money came in early September. As of last Friday, the commission wasn't expecting the payment until as late as November.

Shortly before 6:00 a.m., Rhinelander, Crescent and Newbold Fire Departments responded to a fire at Red Arrow Products on Rhinelander's west side.

An employee says there were about eight workers inside at the time.

No one was injured.

"Flames were coming out of a conveyor area as high as the roof. We made an interior attack and knocked that flame down. Came in from the other side of the partition wall, then made another interior attack and knocked that down," says Chief Terry Williams.

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